Insect · GBIF taxon 5130514
Common Buckeye
Junonia coeniaAlso known as Buckeye
Common buckeyes feature bold, target-like eyespots on their wings that mimic the eyes of larger predators to deter hungry birds. Males defend small territories from sunny perches on bare dirt, actively sallying out to inspect passing insects or court females. Caterpillars incorporate bitter iridoid glycosides from host plants like plantains and snapdragons, rendering themselves unpalatable to ground predators.
Sun-LovingEye SpotsMigratory
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Flower Nectar
- Plantain Leaves
- Snapdragon Leaves
Predators
- Birds
- Spiders
- Praying Mantises
ThreatsPesticide spraying, severe winter freezes, and loss of open field habitats.
HabitatsFields, pastures, dunes, coastal scrub, and sunny open areas with bare ground.
Life span1 to 2 months as adults
Classification
- OrderLepidoptera
- FamilyNymphalidae
- GenusJunonia
- SpeciesJunonia coenia
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Approach slowly: Walk gently from the side when approaching a perching adult on bare dirt.
- Look for perches: Males frequently return to the exact same sunny patch of ground when disturbed.
- Plant host species: Cultivate snapdragons and plantains to attract breeding females to gardens.
Host Plant (c) Petr Harant, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Petr Harant · cc-by
Close Relative no rights reserved, uploaded by Irene · cc0
Close Relative (c) Carlos Alexandre Mattos Raposo, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Carlos Alexandre Mattos Raposo · cc-by-sa
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Mystic Meadows
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